The new fire chief for the City of Windsor has been announced.
Current deputy fire chief, Jamie Waffle, will be stepping into the role for Windsor Fire and Rescue Services effective January 1, 2025.
Waffle has been employed with Windsor Fire for 27 years. The past six years he has served as deputy chief of operations and training, but has held several positions in the past, including firefighter, training officer, acting captain, among others.
Waffle will be taking over for the current chief, Stephen Laforet, who announced his retirement in May 2024.
He says moving forward there are priorities he's focused on, such as community safety through education, improved health and safety for those working with Windsor Fire, and a commitment to a diverse workplace.
Waffle says it's an honour to be named the next chief.
"I love the organization I work with and work for. I love the City of Windsor, I was born and raised in the city my whole life, so I know the city well. I'm a firm believer in relationships, building relationships, both internally and externally. And I'm excited for the next years to come."
He adds that he has some priorities for the future.
"Moving forward we're looking forward and we're in the process of trying to modernize the operations through technology, and data, and using data to drive our decisions and whatnot. And then a commitment to a diverse workplace that reflects the community in Windsor, and those are things that have taken time, and we're working towards, but we'll continue that vision in the years ahead."
Waffle says there will be a smooth transition.
"I'll be working alongside Chief Laforet, as well as continuing with my responsibilities as the deputy chief, and one of our top priorities will be to work together towards filling that position as well."
Laforet has been the city's fire chief since April 2017.